Understanding the Funeral Process in Spain helps to avoid stress at a difficult time

In Spain, it is the norm to plan ahead for your funeral. It’s all part of making things easier for the family and loved ones.

The cost of a funeral in Spain continues to rise and most Spanish families take out some kind of funeral plan to cover the inevitable expense and also to the administrative headache at what is, of course, a difficult time.

According to some sources, the cost of a funeral director’s services, items such as a casket, hearse, and a service, can total up to 4,900 euros for even a modest affair. Add to this reports of funeral directors refusing to act until they are certain the money is available to pay the bill, and the attraction of a Spanish funeral plan is clear – it avoids a lot of potential stress at what is certainly a difficult enough time as it is.

In the experience of Avalon – who have been providing funeral plans in Spain and Europe for more than a quarter of a century now – ex pats living in Spain can be taken by surprise when faced with the ‘Spanish way’ and a funeral plan is the best way of avoiding that surprise (and the trouble it can cause).

Under Spanish law, the police (the Guardia Civil) must be called and a doctor contacted. The doctor will issue a temporary certificate – after which either the doctor or the police will contact a local funeral director (or tanatorio) to attend to the deceased. The funeral director (who may not speak English) will ask for a ‘release form’ to be signed and in many cases this form turns out to be part of a service contract, one that does not disclose prices until after all the arrangements have been made. This contract with the funeral director also often takes away any control over the funeral arrangements, and therefore the final price. Taking care of the process in advance by means of a funeral plan is clearly greatly reassuring for all concerned.

Another factor that is different in Spain is the speed of the process. It’s standard for burial or cremation to take place much quicker than in the UK and English-speaking ex pats can be caught unawares by the rapid procedure (and potentially unscrupulous funeral directors on the lookout for the newly-bereaved caught without insurance). Avalon’s Alicante-based team have an extensive network of funeral directors throughout Spain and part of their service is to put next of kin in touch with a reputable local director.

Of course, many people find the idea of funeral planning a little daunting – especially if they’re living abroad – and that is exactly why Avalon provide the services they do. Their main aim to reduce the emotional worry and stress for family and loved ones when the time comes. The bottom line is that having a funeral plan in Spain means that difficult decisions have been taken ahead of time and unnecessary additional stress and pressure can be avoided.

Spanish Pre Paid Funeral Planning Service

Put simply, an Avalon plan is a way of pre-paying and pre-arranging a funeral in advance. The result is provision of protection against rising funeral costs and a reduction in the emotional stress that can come with having to make funeral arrangements.

Avalon is a leading provider of prepaid funeral plans in the UK and across Europe. This British company operates predominantly in Spain and has been providing peace of mind by means of straightforward and affordable financial packages since 1990.

There are a range of plans available, all of which remove the expense and administrative headaches from what can be a very difficult time.

What’s more, clients can be confident that their money (and therefore their plan) is secure. All funds are held in a specially designed trust, separate to the Avalon organisation and managed by independent trustees.

When it comes to Spain, there are some fairly rigid procedures surrounding funerals which can take family and loved ones by surprise. Avalon’s team of experienced experts, operating out of a head office in Alicante, can negotiate the peculiarities of the Spanish system on the next of kins’ behalf.

Avalon also provide bereavement support telephone lines (handled from the Alicante office) which are open 24 hours a day, All calls are handled by British staff with fluent language skills and extensive local knowledge.

For anyone interested in their services, Avalon are happy to provide full details of their services and answer any questions. Potential clients can download a brochure from the Avalon website, or book a call back, or even arrange a home visit to discuss the matter in comfortable surroundings.